Chapter 83

Weekday afternoons are incredibly peaceful.

Of course, there’s always the possibility of an emergency dispatch signal for demons or monsters, so I can’t completely relax. Still, it’s the most relaxing time of the day.

I can walk outside slowly like this, looking around without a care in the world.

“……”

As I walk, I see elementary school kids running around since school ends early for them.

So, as I watch, they go to convenience stores to snack, fiddle with strange stationery items (why do those even still exist?), or call each other’s names while engaging in weird standoffs.

“Who are you?”

“Which school do you go to? I don’t think I’ve seen you around here.”

“……”

…And because I’m short, sometimes kids talk to me informally.

It’s honestly so annoying.

But I can’t get mad at kids, so I always lightly ignore them and go on my way.

“Phew~…”

I stop by a café and sip sweet coffee through a straw.

Looking around again… it’s hard to believe demons and monsters are invading when people are living such peaceful lives.

Of course, it’s a weekday afternoon, so there aren’t many people around, but seeing this makes me feel like humanity is truly being protected.

Especially when I see people walking around without fear.

It’s because they fully trust us magical girls and feel safe.

“Really… it feels good to just watch this.”

“Is that so?”

“Well, it shows that what I’m doing isn’t in vain and is producing the best results.”

At first, I started this with just a child’s heart… I don’t know how it ended up like this.

But I feel good every time I defeat a demon or monster.

Protecting the surroundings with my own hands… and knowing I’ve protected them safely fills my heart.

And… it reminds me that I have a reason to live.

“…My senior seemed to be looking at something beyond that.”

“Lunatic Poison?”

“Yeah. It felt like she thought this wasn’t enough. Maybe she foresaw Pandora’s existence or something even beyond that… Her Responsible Mascot was weird too.”

“True, Mad the Darkness, Lunatic Poison’s Responsible Mascot, was quite mysterious. There are rumors she’s existed since ancient times!”

“Since ancient times…? That means she’s lived that long.”

Originally, magical girls found joy in protecting humanity, but my senior was different.

And for some reason, she was oddly persistent in training me.

Could she have realized I’m the “Child of Heo” or something like that?

But my senior just had to…

“……”

“Ah! It’s glowing again!”

“…Yeah. Senior’s Crystal Stone… it’s suspicious. It sometimes glows strangely…”

“Should we examine it?”

“No, it’s fine. Senior must have given it to me for a reason. I’m not curious enough to examine it.”

The wind’s getting chilly.

It’s November, and winter will arrive in a month… or is it already winter?

Winter… winter means Christmas, right?

My friends will probably spend it with their families, so I guess it’s just me and my juniors?

…Since when did I start caring about this stuff?

Ever since I started living in this body, I’ve been oddly attentive to these things.

Is this what having free time is like…

“Sorry to bother you, but are you interested in being an idol?”

“…?”

“I’m the president of an entertainment company. Simply put, an idol agency. What do you think?”

“No thanks.”

“Come on~. You’re so pretty, I’m sure you’d succeed if I guided you! It’s a chance to become a famous celebrity on TV!”

“I said no.”

“Aww~, come on~.”

“…Hey. Stop being so annoying.”

“What…?! Why are you so rude…?!”

“I’m not a kid, I’m 24. And I have zero interest in the entertainment industry, so buzz off. I’m just trying to enjoy a peaceful walk, and here you are being a weirdo.”

“……”

So, there are still people trying to scout on the streets these days.

But usually, they’re scammers.

And their pitch is so bad, I can’t even listen.

…I should move away while they’re stunned.

Speaking of the entertainment industry… what would I even do there?

As it is, when I transform into a magical girl, reporters swarm me, spreading annoying rumors and tabloid nonsense. Becoming a celebrity on top of that? No thanks.

Plus, as a celebrity, I’d have to manage my image, handle schedules, and all that… it’s not relaxing at all.

I already have enough money, so there’s no need to live such a bothersome life.

And what if an emergency dispatch signal comes while I’m on a show?

Being a magical girl is more important to me than anything else.

Anyway, that kind of life doesn’t suit me.

I prefer a quiet life, enjoying good food and relaxation.

“Sigh~…”

“That was a disaster!”

“Even if it’s artificial, being pretty is a crime.”

“Rampage, you’re pretty even when not transformed… I mean, never mind!”

“…? What did you just say?”

“Nothing!”

Chubby’s saying weird things again.

Anyway… I’m out, but there’s nothing to do.

Might as well buy some bread from the bakery.

Even though it’s ridiculously expensive due to that disgusting wheat monopoly and shady middlemen, bread is delicious…

Oh, now that I think about it, I should have Chubby improve her baking skills until she can make bakery-level bread.

She’s already decent at baking cakes, so she’ll probably improve quickly.

Then I won’t have to buy overpriced, low-quality bread anymore.

“Hey, Chubby. Let’s try making bakery-style bread.”

“Huh? Can I waste a lot of ingredients then?”

“We have enough money, so it’s fine. As long as it’s at least somewhat tasty, we can slowly eat through it.”

“…Is it really possible to just eat through it all?”

“…Who knows?”

Hmm… I’ll just think of it as snacking and munch on it like chips.

I don’t have to worry about health or digestion, so it should be fine, right?

Or I can just dump the tasty ones on Pretty Heart.

She can inhale anything as long as it’s above a certain level of taste.

“Oh, dumplings.”

After buying some bread, I start walking down the street again.

And what I find is dumplings.

Not at a restaurant, but a place with large pots set up, steaming buns and dumplings.

Of course, just because it’s that kind of place doesn’t mean the dumplings are guaranteed to be good, but it’s still a gamble.

Still, seeing people keep buying them, they must be decent.

“Should I buy some dumplings…?”

“Can your stomach handle it?”

“I’ll just buy a little.”

Alright, let’s buy some dumplings and try them.

Hmm, hmm… hmm…? They’re tasty, but… they’re not much different from high-quality frozen dumplings…?

Wait, have frozen dumplings gotten unnecessarily good lately?

Still, the filling is definitely more substantial here.

Frozen dumplings always feel a bit hollow inside.

“…Hey, Chubby. Can you make dumplings too?”

“I’ve done a lot of difficult dishes, so dumplings should be no problem!”

“Really? Then try making some. I’ll tell you the ingredients.”

“Got it!”

Now our home cooking repertoire has expanded.

By the way, what goes well with dumplings…

Beer is the standard, but some people recommend champagne or wine, so it’s a bit ambiguous.

I still have a lot of red wine at home, so maybe I’ll steam some dumplings and pair them with wine.

“Oh? It’s you, Senior!”

“Typhoon, huh…”

“Senior! Where are you headed?”

“Me? Just wandering around.”

“Then let’s walk together! I’ve developed a new technique, so I’d like your feedback!”

“Sure.”

I ran into Typhoon while walking.

Speaking of which, everything’s a new technique with her…

But her “new techniques” are just slight changes in attack trajectories, right?

Is it the same this time?

So I listened, and as expected, it was just a change in trajectory.

She’s proudly showing it off, saying it’s cooler now… I just feel… yeah, really sorry for her.

She’s truly a pity magnet.

“…By the way, Senior, what have you been up to lately?”

“Me? I’ve been adjusting to peace since there’s not much to do.”

“That sounds incredibly luxurious…!”

“Then do you want to try defeating over 5,000 demons and monsters like I did? Living a life where demons and monsters appear every day, and you have to fight them relentlessly without a break?”

“No, I’ll pass.”

She declines immediately…

Well, anyone would.

Back then, I fought desperately, but in this relatively peaceful era, there’s no need to go that far.

“Ah, and my outfit has changed a bit!”

“Your outfit?”

“It’s cooler now! Want to see?”

“Don’t show me here, show me during training later.”

“Okay! Then I’ll head back now!”

Sigh… When will she grow out of her middle school syndrome…

I feel like she’ll be thrashing around in her blanket all day later.

“……”

Well… should I continue my walk?

Speaking of which, Typhoon being here means middle school is already out.

She was in her uniform, so she must be on her way home from school.

…Ah~, today’s Wednesday, so classes end early, right?

Then it’s not strange for Typhoon to be here now.

“…Let’s head back soon.”

“Okay!”

There was a bit of an unpleasant incident, but I’ve healed enough, so it’s fine.

I’ll go home and try baking with Chubby, feed Yura and Diamond Dust, and if there’s any left, give it to Pretty Heart.

I never thought I’d get into this kind of thing.

Well, since I don’t have much to do normally, it’s nice to have something like this.

At least it’s better than lying on the couch, snacking on chips and beer…

“By the way, Rampage, you’ve gotten used to wearing skirts!”

“Huh? …Yeah. I can’t keep being awkward or nervous about skirts forever. Besides, when I look in the full-length mirror, it suits me pretty well… so, whatever.”

Lately, I’ve been able to wear short skirts without a second thought, so I guess I’ve adapted to this body.

Of course, I adapted to being a magical girl a long time ago, but this is about daily life.

Still, wearing a short skirt on a chilly day must make the lower half feel cold.

Not that I care, though.

“Let’s hurry back and make something… Should we start with basic bread? Like sandwich bread.”

“Sure! Then let’s stop by the mart and buy a bunch of ingredients to have delivered!”

“Let’s do that.”

Baking… I should buy ingredients quickly and try it.

It might become a new hobby, so I’m looking forward to it.